I have been asked this question quite a few times and yet I don't really have a solid answer. A year ago I was looking through every study abroad website I could find looking at different programs. At first I was sure I wanted to go to Tokyo. I studied Japanese for 8 years and have the goal of being fluent. After looking at multiple programs, I just couldn't find one that offered what I needed. The biggest thing for me was finding somewhere with courses that would contribute to my majors at VWU. After searching through more programs, I decided I would try to find somewhere close to home. I found a program in Suva, Fiji which I figured would be best because they offered similar courses to VWU. After discussing this with the VWU Lighthouse, we came to the conclusion that the courses were too similar which partially defeats the purpose of studying abroad.
At this point I had no idea where to even start looking. I investigated Ireland because my family is Irish, but I knew I didn't want to go to a country like Australia or the US. I quickly realised that I was seeking something completely different to what I've already seen. When looking on the ISA website, I found a program at ACG in Athens. Greece has more history than pretty much any other country in the world which is certainly different to Australia. I also got the impression that there was a well defined Greek culture which would allow me to live in a society which operated differently from what I'm used to. I also am very interested in language (I want to be a speech pathologist) so going to a non-English speaking country was attractive to me.
I will also admit that a large part of my attraction to Greece is that my sister and I have always wanted to visit the Greek Islands. I think that when I told most people I was going to Greece they immediately imagine Santorini or Mykonos. I knew I wanted to visit these places but I also had a desire to see what else Greece had to offer. (Hint: there's a lot in mainland Greece that everyone needs to see, I'll discuss this more in a future post)
After being here for a little over a month, I can easily say I made a good decision. I have seen so many beautiful places and learnt so much about another culture. In learning about another country, I have also learnt a lot about myself. I still have around 3 months left in this beautiful country and I can't wait to soak up even more of the Greek culture.
